Republicans hope to close loophole

Republicans in the General Assembly said yesterday they want to close a loophole that Senate Democrats hope to exploit to steer unlimited amounts of campaign money to candidates they support.

The 31 incumbent Democrats, led by Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, have created the Maryland Democratic Senatorial Committee -- a so-called "slate" -- in an attempt to raise and shift hundreds of thousands of dollars to candidates who might need it, particularly nine incumbents targeted by the GOP.

Under Maryland election law, a candidate is limited to transferring $6,000 through his or her campaign committee to any other committee.

But a loophole in the law allows candidates who are members of a slate to transfer unlimited amounts of money from their accounts to the accounts of other members.

Sen. F. Vernon Boozer, a Baltimore County Republican and Senate minority leader, said the GOP caucus wants to limit the transfer amount to $6,000 for members of a slate -- unless they are candidates running in the same county, legislative district or judicial district.